Raising Hel
by Kadyn
Summary: Cassie/Pritkin All the Way! Cassandra Palmer struggles through life without her favorite war mage by her side, desperate to bring him back at any cost she takes a gamble jumping through time streams; to the one person who can help her save him. Will it pay off or is she too late? Spoilers for Tempt the Stars!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I make no profit from their use; other then the joy of playing with them that is! xD

**Notes: ** I started this story back in June of 2013 after Hunt the Moon (which is how it got it's title) and then I got busy; and then got my hands on TtS and went Oh YEs! Ms. Chance is a genius and had Cassie sleep shift through time to find Pritkin...so I didn't finish this...but now I have to wait ANOTHER YEAR to get Pritkin back and Dear god I'm Dying over here; just like the lovely Miss Palmer...

So I decided to post this; and finish it, *fingers crossed* so that I can get my Pritkin fix while I wait...

oh and if you haven't been to Ms. Chance's official website and read the blurb for the next book yet and your a Cass/Prit fan like me? _Go do it right now! Seriously, I'll wait!_

Because, Oh My God; if the whole book is like that you guys wont see me for at least two months after it's release; I'll be too busy re-reading it over, and over! Wow.

* * *

**Raising Hel**

_A Cassie/Pritkin Story_

* * *

"Get OUT Marco!" There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to throw someone out on their ass when they've overstayed their welcome and all you want to do is be alone.

"Cass, listen. I know you're upset. And maybe Mircea he overstepped his bounds, but He's worried about you!"

"We, all are." That last comment hadn't come from the guy I was currently trying to shove out the door; which was pointless really since he was only about six foot eight and built like an impassable mountain; oh yeah, and a vampire.

But I'd had about as much success trying to shove the other guy chiming in at the moment out of my room as well seeing as he was a ghost and not exactly corporal enough to shove anywhere.

"Shut up Billy!"

Marco didn't even raise an eyebrow at my outburst; maybe he'd gotten used to the idea that I talked to a ghost, or maybe he was just so worried that he didn't care who I talked to, he just wanted me to talk.

"Get. Out. I have nothing to say to you, or him, or anyone else he sends for that matter!"

Marco winced, probably because that last bit had come out kind of screeching and vampire hearing being what it was we could have been whispering this conversation across a football field and he'd have heard me just fine; but I didn't feel like whispering; or talking, _Fuck that_.

I felt like screaming, and kicking, and smashing the crap outta something which is probably why most of the objects in the room at that moment took that opportunity to fly off the wall, not fall; no they flung themselves at odd angles smashing into odd bits of furniture; fancy columns and other walls sending arcs of shattered glass all over the floor.

Okay oops.

So I hadn't quite gotten a handle on all this extra power I'd been endowed with; it was more like someone had opened my mouth jammed a funnel in and poured super-juice down my throat till I was glowing.

Even worse than not knowing how to turn it off, or control it was not being able to fucking give it back!

Something no one could help me with, because, the only person I could think of to help me was the person who had stuck me in this world of hell to begin with! He'd given me an unimaginable amount of raw seemingly unending power to draw from that I didn't understand and couldn't contain half the time!

He'd given it to me to save my life, when I was teetering on the verge of death; and in the process effectively ended his own.

"Cassie, Please. Look you're not eating, you barely sleep, you look like hell..."

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat and my breathe catch in the back of my throat.

No, No. I was not going to do this, not here not right now. I would not show weakness in front of him; in front of _any_ of them; _never again._

"If you won't leave, I will." I shifted before Marco could snatch his hands around my upper arms effectively hitching along for the ride.

Which is saying something since he'd been using vampire speed, but I was faster, I was a lot faster now. Whether it was from the extra Pritkin juice, or just practice I didn't know.

But shifting was effortless now; in a way that nothing else was; even breathing hurt.

I let my body crumple into the chair behind me without needing to look to know it was there, I'd spent enough time here over the last two months to know this room; this house like the back of my own hand. And the fact that it was about as far away from Las Vegas, in both distance and relative time from Marco, Mircea, and the rest of the Vampire Senate, and my stupid Pythia council and my body guards was a small comfort.

I could cry here.

Half-way around the world and in a different time where no-one expected to find me; or even knew to look for me. I felt my breathe hitch in the back of my throat again and choked on the next inhale.

Three months.

I'd tried everything; I'd talked to every contact, every lead, and still I was no closer to getting him back.

_Pritkin_.

A sob escapes, I don't even try to hold back. Even thinking his name sends a hot knife of agony through my chest.

I let my head drop onto the armrest and breath in as deep as I can; this place didn't smell like him…

Hell if he hadn't brought me here himself once in a desperate attempt to evade our pursuer's I would have never guessed he had ever stayed here; let alone that the small stone house with its dark and dusty wood floors belonged to my wayward war mage.

That in a different time; a whole other lifetime Pritkin had bought this house for the woman who was supposed to be his bride.

She'd died in this house too. Another sobering thought…

On their wedding night, of all horrors…tricked by Pritkin's asshole of a demon prince father, lured by her own misguided ambitions into trying to share power with her new husband; power she didn't understand she didn't have enough to share being barely a demon herself.

It wasn't his fault; not that that fact stopped Pritkin from hating himself for what happened; and beating himself down with self-hatred and loathing whenever he got the chance.

He was a master at the whole self-hate, I don't deserve happiness mentality.

Nevertheless,Trying to kill his father when he realized what he'd done; resulted in the Demon's version of a council deciding that Pritkin was too dangerous to live what with how successful he was at causing mayhem and death and destruction to other demons and trying to kill his father a council member himself.

They'd sentenced him to death; and would have killed him if his father hadn't stepped in and suggested that instead Pritkin be exiled to earth; banned from the demon realms; and unable to feed or share power with anyone he encountered; effectively starving him of power and hoping to drive him mad so that when he slipped up, when he broke his sentence he would have to return to Hell and sit beside his father doing his bidding.

For a couple hundred years Pritkin had starved, and suffered, and clawed his way towards an iron will and control of his other half; denying his father the chance to use him.

_Until me._

Fuck. Hot tears tracked down my cheeks. It was all _my_ fault.

Hundreds of years of living within the confines of his sentence; making a difference in this world; fighting the good fight. And it was all gone because of _me. I was supposed to stop things like this, I was supposed to be the God damn Pythia. But I couldn't even protect the one's closest to me; the one person I was finding I couldn't seem to function without…_

I dragged myself up out of the lumpy armchair and trudged up the stairs and down the hall to the stupid washroom, the one that didn't have a toilet; just a sink and a tub because as Pritkin had pointed out to me in clipped British tones in a voice that was all kinds of wrong (seeing as we'd switched bodies at the time; much to Pritkin's horror,) that's what a washroom was; or used to be rather.

I turn the tap on and splash freezing cold water onto my face sucking in gasps of air.

I wasn't going to cry; not again. It didn't change anything; and it certainly didn't make me feel any better. Turning the water off with a vicious twist that was probably unfair to a sink handle that was older than me I pause to stare at my reflection in the slightly warped glass.

The last time I'd stared into this glass had been a whole different experience; with Pritkin's green eyes staring back at me in Pritkin's face; accidently swapping bodies with my favorite Mage body guard had been an interesting experience to say the least; one he'd probably have harped on for a long time if our finally switching back hadn't been because I was mortally wounded in his own body; and he'd lied to me about his ability to heal the damage forcing me to take drastic measures or lose him forever; a reality I hadn't been able to accept at the time.

One that I wasn't coming to terms with very well now either.

The pale oval of a face staring me down now looked nothing like my former self. It felt like a lifetime ago that I'd been that girl.

Three months since my ill-fated inauguration party the calendar said; but it wasn't three months to me; to me it was 93 days…

2246 hours…

133,920 minutes…

8,035,200 seconds 201…202…..

Alone.

Lost.

With guilt thick and oily clogging the back of my throat, pain gouging my insides with razor claws that left gapping wounds no one else could see, let alone understand.

The day Mircea had come to me not long after my second coronation; the one I had no intention of attending; because fuck them; fuck obligation, and rites.

Fuck their goddamn traditions.

None of it meant a damn thing to me; they were all nothing but noise.

Buzzing, irritating, infuriating noise in a perfect sea of black.

8,035,215…..216….

I meet my own hollowed out stare in the mirror, wild un-washed curls flopped about my head like a drunken halo of strawberry blonde chaos. The old me would have been horrified by my appearance; by the sunken look under my cheekbones, the deep hollow at my collar bone, the lifeless drape of clothes clinging to my frame; pajama pants I think I've been wearing for a week barely staying up on my hips and a faded grey Henley that needed to be washed days; Hell weeks ago but I couldn't bring myself to do it: because it was his.

One of the last shirts he'd ever worn his smell long gone from the pilled worn cotton, my boney hands and wrists peeking out from the rolled sleeves gripped the cold porcelain of the sink basin.

I didn't have to squint my eyes even in looking through the reflected mirror to see the aura of stolen power that hung over me; swirled around me like a blue tinged silvery mist.

So much power, if I concentrated I'd learned over the last few weeks that I could manifest Pritkin's shields around myself…boy had that been the shock of Mircea's life.

He'd reached for me as I'd jerked my hand away, Some of Pritkin's more inventive curses flying from my tongue he'd had the audacity to say it was better this way; that without the Goddamn Mage interfering all the time I would be safer, and he didn't have to worry about him doing something he'd have to kill him for, because of course I was so stubborn; refusing to see what was best.

The cerulean and azure streaked shield that slammed into him full on had been an obvious shock; but it had been nothing compared to the animalistic snarl I'd felt tear from my lips; hand flung out as if to push him away even with the shield stopping him in his tracks; But push him away I did.

About 45 feet.

Through three walls in front of about 15 first level master body guards who'd moved to attack thinking that some berserker mage had somehow slipped past their defenses and attacked their boss.

I remembered the shock, and confusion when they slide to a halt inside the now ruined wall of my suite; realizing there was no one in the room but me, staring not at the horror of what I had done to a freaking Senator; and the guy who was supposed to be my husband by vampire standards, but looking at my own hands assessing this new marvel; like I was considering whether I should get a manicure.

The look in Marco's eyes when he said my name and I'd met his gaze from across the room was one I'd never forget.

I hadn't waited around to see what else Mircea had to say, I'd turned to the balcony and shifted halfway through the next step.

There was nothing Mircea could say, I'd seen it in his eyes. The cold calculation of a master vampire moving his pieces into play. I was done listening.

I was done with being manipulated.

I'd read in my research over the past weeks some of the legends and stories surrounding my mother and father; some of them said that she was responsible for judging the souls of the dead, weighing them to measure the good or evil inside them; and that no one could hide their true self from her.

Maybe I had inherited a little of that from her…

Or maybe had finally stopped lying to myself about the world around me.

I'd always told myself that I knew exactly how the vampires in my life viewed me; and that I wouldn't forget it. But somehow I'd let myself believe that Mircea saw me as more than a pawn; that he saw me as an equal, and someone who could make their own decisions.

I'd been a fool.

Mircea might not be evil; he might truly care for me; and I could tell that on at least some level he did.

But he would never respect me as an equal; not while I was sleeping in his bed, and bowing to his wishes. Maybe not even with me out of his bed; old habits die hard.

Only one person in my life had ever truly treated me as an equal even as he made desperate moves to protect my life at ever turn; only one person had sacrificed himself to save me.

It was what seared and stung more than anything; Equals, and the bastard hadn't even bothered to tell me what he was going to do.

Of course knowing Pritkin and his warped logic and self-depreciation he'd probably object that it was an emergency; and there hadn't been time for a discussion; much less for the argument that usually took place when our roles had been reversed in the past.

When he had been the one in dire need and I'd have given anything; everything to keep him by my side.

But he'd known what his gift of life would do; the minute his lips touched mine and his power spilled into me he'd sealed his fate.

My lips still trembled with the thought of his last kiss, the heat and possession that was the very essence of Pritkin flowing into my veins, over flowing the coffers of power with more then I'd needed at the time; way more.

I'd only begun to poke miserably at the edges of stolen power he'd dumped into me; but it was enough to wonder if he'd had anything left when Rosier had snatched him away.

Dark thoughts flitted through my conscious not for the first time; images of Pritkin's face ghostly pale; still as death, drained of the Power that kept his human side; his Mage side alive.

Mages needed power to live; drain them and it was like cutting off their air.

All this time I'd been struggling to find a way to get Pritkin back from Hell; and I didn't even know if he was still alive.

Cornering Casanova at Dante's hadn't done me any good either; I'd asked and asked; knowing that the incubus that resided in his smarmy vampire body had a connection at least on some level to Hell, and as an Incubus might know something about what had happened to Pritkin; but he, or she as far as his resident demon was concerned wouldn't say; Even when I started to kick the shit out of him in a blind rage.

And that I had in spades now too: Rage.

Rage that radiated off of me in waves of blind fury just like it used to when Pritkin was on edge…I was after all Part-Pritkin now….having swallowed up most of his power; if not all of it.

In my research I'd learned that the Royal line of Incubus—which Pritkin was a descendant of could drain their opponents in a fight, not having claws or sharp teeth themselves they could take on the traits of those he drained for a short amount of time.

Hell I'd seen Pritkin do it once before when we'd been dragged into one of the levels of Hell by his scheming and conniving father; Pritkin had sprouted wings allowing us to fly to safety in a breathless moment that still made my heart flutter. And now it seemed that I was able to manifest parts of Pritkin's Magic and some of his other traits as well.

God knows my swearing had gotten decidedly more inventive in the last two months; and impudently more British.

I needed someone, anyone I could corner and kick the shit out of until they told me what I needed to know.

Maybe the old Cassie would never have considered such measures; but I'd tried subtle; I'd tried the pleading; and research and trading for information; It worked about as well as it usually did; which was to say painfully slow; or not at all.

Then I had tried some good old fashioned ass-kicking becoming increasingly more and more frantic as nothing panned out; and there was no word; no communication from

Pritkin or anyone who had seen him.

Nothing.

I was running on steam, and sheer exhaustion; I couldn't remember the last time I'd had anything to eat. I drank enough dark espresso these days that even Pritkin's coffee-addicted body would probably have a bad case of the shakes by now.

Even he'd known when to quit.

But I couldn't let this go.

I needed so, so badly to see him, touch his face; to kiss his lips and feel his arms around me whispering that everything was going to be okay; that he was sorry it took him so long to come back to me…

My eyes slipped shut blocking out the accusatory ice pale stare in the mirror; because maybe it was time to face the facts.

Pritkin wasn't coming back.


	2. Chapter 2

_Even he'd known when to quit._

_ But I couldn't let this go._

_ I needed so, so badly to see him, touch his face; to kiss his lips and feel his arms around me whispering that everything was going to be okay; that he was sorry it took him so long to come back to me…_

_ My eyes slipped shut blocking out the accusatory ice pale stare in the mirror; because maybe it was time to face the facts._

_ Pritkin wasn't coming back. _

_ And it was all my fault._

I striped off my soiled linen and turned on the faucet over the old tub that had been converted; probably by Marsden during his stint here rather than by Pritkin himself, into a makeshift shower. The old style exposed copper pipes braced by brackets in the ceiling began to spray out blessedly hot water with only a mild high pitched screech of protest.

I let myself step beneath the spray scolding hot water washing over my skin for a long time before I found the energy to pick up the only soap there was: a sad sliver of whatever bar had been left here. It looked about as grime covered as I was.

I worked up a good lather and scrubbed myself down from head to toe; even my hair because what did it matter? It didn't. None of it did. I was just going through the motions.

My brain still turning over and over the question of what to do next, who to interrogate, what had I missed?

The water ran cold at the same moment I realized exactly who I could ask, and why hadn't I thought of it before?! Because time lines and rules be Damned.

The question was _When_?

Slamming the valve shut and leaping from the tub I barely managed to catch the doorjamb when my foot caught on the rim of the old porcelain monstrosity; slipping and sliding on wet dripping feet down the hall I bolted through the door of Pritkin's old room smashing my shoulder into the half opened door. I ripped open the dresser that held all the clothes I'd rescued from Dante's before Cassanova had tried to throw them out; as well as some of my own.

Snatching up a pair of Jeans and a dark tank top I tugged them on over still dripping wet hair fighting as the cottony material tried to stick to my still wet skin. I struggled into the jeans, wet legs never easy to get in or out of denim no matter how loose they fit me now I stumbled and ended up on my backside on Pritkin's…Hell…My bed; seeing as how I slept here far more than I did at Dante's these days.

I belatedly realized I forgot underwear

…_Commando just like Pritkin_

a half delirious giggle slips out of me as I shove my feet into the catapillar-isk work boots I'd started wearing not long after Pritkin's disappearance.

All the better for ass-kicking.

I turn to face the mirror over the dresser; running my fingers through sopping wet curls for probably the first time in three weeks, oh well it couldn't be helped.

Then I closed my eyes; focusing on his singular strand of silver fire weaving itself in and out like a hair-fine wire through time; watching it sift and weave through time I found my moment: Let my mind fill with it, flare with thoughts of him and only him; and shifted.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Pritkin jerks awake in the same second that I land beside his bed. I was even facing the right direction,

wonder of wonders.

_I was getting good at this. _

He probably would have tackled me to the floor and started threatening me as an imposter a split second later if I hadn't tackled him first.

We go down in a tangle of bed sheets and curses. Pritkin spinning us both onto the floor before his shoulders even hit the mattress from my attempted tackle.

The bed linens twist around my legs as I kick in protest my head thwacking onto the carpeted floor beneath him almost hard enough to see stars. My hands are pinned on either side of my face his nose inches from mine; eyes wild and hostile.

And gloriously green… and so alive…

If my hands had been free I'd probably have done something extraordinarily stupid like flung my arms around his neck to hug him, or kiss him or strangle him maybe… I lay under him breathless not even sure myself.

Just frozen gazing into those impossibly bright, and currently; ferocious eyes.

"You had better explain yourself; whoever you are-and fast."

I swallow, open my mouth and close it again. Flick my tongue out to wet suddenly sandpaper dry lips and try again.

The words die in my throat, strangled out by the lump that's quickly taking over my ability to speak, or breathe it seems as my lungs hitch, catching on my next inhale and I feel god damn tears well up in my eyes.

"Pritkin," I barely managed his name, somehow it's enough to stop him from vaporizing me or whatever else he might have been considering.

Pritkin blinks slowly his brow creasing in concentration.

"You're not my Cassie." It wasn't a question.

I didn't trust my voice, simply shake my head once in the negative.

_God no, and I could never be his…not the way I want_

"You're not Cassie, mine or any future; you reek of demon power."

I blink in surprise and then realized what he meant;

Demon power; His power.

Pritkin, the formally best demon hunter the silver circle had to offer was great at his previous position not just because he was a certifiably half-crazed war mage but because he was half demon himself; and as such was adept at spotting demon magic:

and those who had or could use it.

"You have exactly three seconds to explain yourself."

"Pritkin, look at me."

"If this is some kind of demon hypnosis you've failed to do your homework, that doesn't work on me!" he thunders, his words clipped and harsh.

God how I'd longed to hear that tone again.

"No, Pritkin, _Look_." I expanded that part of my mind that had taken a hell of a lot of getting used to the past few months, letting my borrowed shield snap around us both; forming a half bubble against the floor encasing us.

Pritkin snarled and slammed me back into the floor his own shields exploding out from him to blast against the barrier I'd placed around us; hoping maybe to block what I was doing as if it were some kind of spell; but my shield _was_ his shield and the two simply slid against each other, melting together to create a deeper richer blue swirling with bits of silver and teal; like ripples in a lake after a stone skips across its surface.

Pritkin took all this in in a mere second his eyes going wide, "How are you doing that?"

But he wasn't looking at me, he was staring at the double shield wrapped around us; recognizing the power signature for what it was:

_His_

"Pritkin…"

I let my shield go, but left my aura up for him to see, watched as his eyes settled on the silvery blue haze that surrounded me invisible to most.

"No." His hands jerked back from my wrists as if burned.

"Pritkin…" I moved to sit up in front of him on the floor.

"Oh God," Pritkin's chest is heaving with panicked gasps for air.

"I didn't, Oh god, please tell me that I didn't…" His eyes flew to mine again, then slid off to focus on the haze surrounding me again before he blanched, the color draining farther from his face.

I reach out and place trembling fingers against his cheek darkened by a bit more than a five o'clock shadow. I think he might rip my hand away when his fingers encircled my wrist once more but he simply closes his eyes; leaning into my hand.

"Oh God, Cassie, I am so, so sorry." His voice breaking on my name.

"You should be." He flinched visibly at that.

"You left me. You God damn arrogant ass," His head jerks up at that; eyes wide in surprise but He doesn't move beyond that, frozen with my hand against his roughened cheek. I curse at him, fling myself against him, both arms wrapping around his back clutching desperately to him; my head buried against his chest.

Realize only belatedly that he's naked; and of course he is…idiot always sleeps naked.

And suddenly I'm laughing against his chest, cradled in his lap with his arms around me, and his fingers combing through my hair and my hands pressing into the hard muscle of his shoulders.

It's like being instantly drunk; it's too much; and equally not enough… and the room is spinning and I can't seem to stop laughing and maybe I've finally gone insane.

That must be it.

I pull back after several minutes to run my fingertips over his face; across his temples; down his cheeks across his nose that's just a bit too large to be classically handsome.

I love that nose, I love the chiseled slightly narrow chin and normally hard eyes and his whole god damn face and even his stupid hair. Which is living up to it's reputation sticking up all helter-skelter from a combination of sleep and my fingers now running through it.

And I'm struck again by just how soft it is, so strange, that his hair is always softer then I expect to find it.

Pritkin's hands finally come up to stop my wandering fingers from torturing his hair into new heights of absurdity.

"Cassie, You look like hell, please tell me that I didn't do this to you…" I blink at him.

I don't understand.

"You left me_." Isn't that explanation enough? _

_Isn't being forced to live without him reason enough to fall apart?_

"Yes, I would have to seeing as I obviously violated my parole." His lips twist into a sardonic grin completely lacking in humor. "Did I…" he pauses, takes in a slow deep breath. "Did I hurt you?"

His fingers brush still wet curls back from my forehead, not meeting my eyes.

"You would never hurt me." It's a whisper closer to his lips then I remember leaning…

He doesn't look happy with that answer.

"Cassie, Did I do this to you?" he waves his hand between us once more and I finally understand what he's asking. Of course with me looking like hell he would blame himself.

"No, You didn't drain me, I was dying and before I could figure out what you were doing you got pulled away."

"So you look like hell because you've stopped taking care of yourself?"

He sounds angry now.

"Screw you! I've been trying to figure out how to get you back for months now!"

Pritkin's lips purse. "Well you should stop."

"Never." I glare at him, well aware that my still dripping wet mass of curls probably doesn't help me look particularly tough.

"I'm not going to stop, so you're going to help me, and we're going to fix this, now."

"Oh is that all?"

"Yes, and you should probably put some pants on before I violate your parole; again."

Pritkin jerks up from the floor like it's on fire and stomps to the dresser, cursing in a language I don't even recognize; but not before I see the blush flash across his cheeks and his eyes shift color.

And god damn if the man doesn't have the most fantastic ass I've ever seen, my mouth might be hanging open still when he turns around, curses again reaching to jerk me up off the floor…my eyes are certainly glazed over.

He assesses me once I'm standing again. "when was the last time you ate?"

I don't remember.

Probably best not to tell him that; though judging by his expression I may have actually said that out loud. Okay oops.

I'm suddenly dizzy, exhaustion and hunger taking their toll in the same moment, excess spirit energy is all I've been running on for the last few days…hell make that weeks; and apparently my body has chosen this exact moment to decide it can't take anymore.

I collapse back onto his mattress, he follows me, hands locked over my wrists, kneeling over me on the bed voice alarmed "Cassie?! Cassie!"

I can't answer him though I'm far too busy passing out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

When I open my eyes he's fully dressed sitting in the chair beside his own bed.

His hands clasped before him; head bent; elbows rested on his knees…he could almost be praying... But knowing Pritkin; he's probably beating himself up over our latest predicament.

I shift to sit up and he raises his head.

"I removed the trace charms the Circle and your vampire had placed on you; don't want them showing up doubled with you here; and upstairs…that could complicate things."

"They're not _my_ vampires." I spit out with more venom then I intend.

His eyes drift to mine; his expression shows a flash of…relief? I'm not sure; it's gone in almost the same second it appears.

"You shouldn't be here. You should leave and I will give myself a memory charm so I won't remember any of this; we're risking altering the time stream; changing events."

"Fuck that." He stares at me like I've grown a second head…stranger things have almost happened.

If my being here had changed anything I'd be gone already; or my power wouldn't have let me come at all…the thought emboldens me…_yes…this is right; or I wouldn't have been able to do it. _

The power of the Pythia would have prevented it….

Then again maybe not; a small part of my brain chimes in: I was fully Pythia now; not like before when the power sent me willy-nilly where ever _it_ deemed appropriate.

Maybe it was completely plausible that I could screw up my own timeline and get myself killed and nothing would stop me from making my own paradox until it was too late. I didn't exactly get the owner's manual when I got saddled with this job: I very well might be the first (and last) Pythia to kill myself by screwing with my own past.

I firmly tell that small section of my brain to shove off and slide to the end of the bed, placing my feet on the floor between us. He watches me stand up, has to tilt his head back to do it I'm so close. Pritkin leans back in the chair, clasped hands sliding into his lap watching me with a closely controlled expression when I step closer to him, if he wasn't leaning away now his face would be pressed to my stomach, I draw my fingers through his hair and he doesn't stop me…his eyes slip shut instead mouth parts with an unsteady rush of air exhaled at my touch.

"You listen to me, I will not accept what you did, I can't; I tried….it's impossible."

He stares at me swallowing hard; looks like he's going to apologize 'til I cut him off.

"Shut up, I'm not finished…" Because if I don't get this out, if I can't _make_ him understand that we have to fix this; it will kill me. "I claw my way through every day; it's an _act of God_ just to get up every morning; knowing you won't be there; and I _need_ you to be…even for the simple things like coffee and double checking my mail because you think Marco's an idiot—"

"He is an idiot."

I refuse to grin at that pressing on tightening my fingers in his too short spikes, feeling how soft the short blonde tufts are as they slip out of my grasp before I can get a good hold. "Shut up! But you're not there and I can't breathe, and it's my fault, and no matter how many times I think about it and try to picture doing it differently I can't find a way to fix it because I'm not complete without you; I need you…"

He's on his feet in the blink of an eye, palms pressed against my cheeks, and I feel my breath catch in my throat and my eyes burn with tears that I can't let fall; not without finishing this. "…and I don't know why I couldn't see it before but it's there every second, every minute tearing me apart and I can't—"

His mouth crashes into mine, the force of his sudden movement sending us both falling back onto the bed with the loud protests creak of cheap hotel bed springs.

And I think I bit my tongue when we landed but I don't care because he's power is somehow tickling along the tip of my tongue and suddenly the sting is gone and I didn't even know I could do that…or maybe _he_ did it; but who cares because now all I can focus on is his tongue sliding hotly over mine. His fingers fisting in my now dry curls making me spare a flitting thought for how long I was asleep. And then it's gone just as fast because he's tilting my head back so he can slant his mouth over mine, devouring me inch by delicious inch.

His touch pours more liquid heat down my spine then I've ever felt with anyone else; not Thomas or Mircea because no one touches me like Pritkin does; no one possesses me like Pritkin does; completes me like he does. His touch makes my belly flutter and my nipples tighten and my womb clench when his pelvis presses down into mine with a rolling shudder that has me tilting up to meet him moaning his name into his mouth while he growls in answer against my lips making me tremble in all the right places…and it's not enough…_God I need him closer…_

I'm wrapping my arms around his shoulders and fisting my hand in his insane, stupidly soft Pritkin hair while it feels like he's taking everything I've struggled to put into words these last few months and he's saying it all back with his lips, and tongue and teeth and… _Oh god_ if he bites my bottom lip like that one more time we're both going to Hell…

"Shit." He pulls back, eyes squeezed shut, breathing ragged, voice thick.

I moan at the loss, start to reach for him again on instinct desperate to touch him again after so long alone. He curses, slams my hands back against the bed sheets, pinning me there while he fights to control his breathing… stop the faint tickle of cool air that I've only just noticed at the base of my spine, curling lower almost like a caressing hand…

"Be very, _very_ still Cassie." I barely recognize his voice it's so thick, but a certain part of my anatomy like's it a lot. Clenches and spasms when he says my name like that.

And he must be able to feel some part of it; sense it maybe with his incubus side because his eyes slide to mine and _Dear God_ if one of us doesn't stop touching the other I really will be dead. Because screw timelines, and saving my life; touching him has got to be worth it; just once, feeling his skin slip along mine; I could die for that.

My hands clench on empty air and he presses me down harder somehow knowing my intentions. The strength in his grip doesn't help though… no it somehow makes the heat burning through my nerves spread; draws a moan from somewhere deep in my chest and it's a good thing he's holding me down still because I'm not sure I can keep my hands off him. Stop myself from shoving him back against the mattress; ripping off those jeans and burying that thick hard co…

"CASSIE!" His eyes are wild and frantic, his hands shake where he's pressing me into the mattress grip hard enough to bruise.

_Oh. Right…_

I swallow try to take a calming breath, incubus and sex thoughts probably not the nicest thing to do to him right now when he's so close to the edge…

"I'm going to let you go, and back away."

"Please don't…"

I'm trembling, every inhale pulls more of him into my lungs: Magic and Ozone and the faint undertones of Soap and Potions and something distinctly _Male_…I close my eyes and draw in another shaky breath while he waits. Just as hesitant to let me go just as I am to lose the heat of his skin over my wrists…the slow glide of one of his thumbs on the underside of my wrist while my next exhale burst from between parted lips and my tongue darts out to wet my bottom lip and he groans, curses; is watching me eyes bright and intense wild green. They're color reminds me of tart sour apples, the ones so ripe that they spill juice down your chin when you eat them… I slowly draw one hand from his grasp and he lets me; maybe because the movement is so careful; exaggerated and slow. He watches me reach up with trembling fingers, his heavy swallow the only obvious reaction until I press two fingertips over his bottom lip staring up at him.

"You have beautiful eyes."

He stares down at me jaw clenching fingers tightening over my skin before he jerks his grip away shoves himself backwards off the bed backing up to stand almost flat against the far wall putting as much physical space between us in the small room as possible.

I lay still staring at the ceiling where his eyes just were. One hand still raised in the empty air. Trying to calm my racing heart, slow the pounding of my pulse in my ears control my heavy breathing.

When I sit up finally he's still staring at me, arms crossed tight over his chest the first hints of a true Pritkin scowl hardening the corners of his downturned mouth. It doesn't reach his eyes though; those are still alight with a completely different emotion; one that heats my blood and makes my insides flutter all over again.

"Why are you Here Cassie?"

I swallow, eyes darting down to the rug. "I need you to tell me how to get you out of Hell."

"No."

My chin jerks up indignation flooding me. "Don't tell me No! I'm getting you out or else."

"Or else What?!"

"Or I'll stop you from going in the first place."

His whole body tenses, his face drawn into a fierce snarl. "Don't you Dare sacrifice everything I've done!"

"Oh, so it's okay for you to make sacrifices but not me!" I'm up off the bed, stomping my bare feet on the cheap carpet. He backs away from me keeping as much distance as possible between us, yelling right back.

"I'm Not the Pythia!"

"I Don't want to be the Pythia! I don't want any of this! I didn't ask for this! And How long do you Really think I'm going to last without you!"

"You've lasted without me so far, it's been what; judging by the poor condition you're in; at least a few weeks…" He draws a snarling breath "And while we're on that subject you had better start taking care—"

"Three months! And I've spent most of those out of the timeline."

He freezes, turns to face me expression tight. "What do you mean _out_ of the timeline?"

"I've been leaving…"

"You haven't been fulfilling your duties as Pyth—"

"No! Because I can't do them without You!"

He's paced closer to me expression livid, eyes flashing near violence. "And where Pray, Tell have you been going exactly?"

"England."

That surprises him. His expression collapses, nose wrinkled as he stares down at me working that answer over in his mind, trying to see the connection. And I see it hit him finally, dawn on him. He leans into me almost touching breathes me in before leaning back swallowing so hard I can hear it. "England."

"Yes."

"Where in England, Cassie?"

He already knows. I stare up at him defiantly; lift my chin not dropping his intense gaze.

"They got rid of your room at Dante's I had to find a place to take your clothes… someplace to sleep."

His eyes go wide. "You're sleeping in my bed." And when he says it like that it makes me blush but I don't look away, I can't; not now. Not when I'm so close to a solution; he has to have one. I know he does.

We stare at each other in the heavy silence, both breathing too fast to be standing still. And those stupid traitors flutters are back with a vengeance; the twirling tickle floats under my skin welling up to fill me with thrumming heat just from him watching me, standing so close…

"Either help me Pritkin, or else."

He glares down at me one eyebrow quirked not even bothering with the effort to form the words; to inquire as to what I could ever do to force his hand.

"Help me or _I'm Not leaving._ The choice is yours."

And then Pritkin jerked away from me snarling and spent the next few minutes expanding my knowledge of very colorful British swear words.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: ** They are not mine.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**By: Kadyn**

* * *

That's it. He's going to kill her himself. He's going to go down in history as the only war-mage to finally snap and strangle the Pythia to death…

He can almost close his eyes and see it happening.

Expect every time his fingers lock around that delicate pale swan neck they always ends up sliding around the back of her head instead, fisting in those strawberry blonde curls yanking her into his chest, slamming her into the closest wall; devouring every gasp and moan that smart little infuriating mouth can come up with while he grinds his ever present erection against her center until she comes undone.

A snarl of pent up frustration and overtaxed restraint near the breaking point works its way from between clenched teeth as he stomps from the elevator down the hall towards his room glaring at the unsuspecting hotel staff who makes the simple mistake of glancing at him in passing.

It's bad enough he has to deal with her whining and falling all over him during training every morning; He's just trying to keep her alive for god sake; especially now that he _knows_ beyond any shadow of a doubt that he'll be gone soon. And she fights him at every turn.

She tripped over her own feet this morning; her own damn feet. Not even a rug or fallen weapon. Girl could trip over a damn shadow. She'd slammed into him so hard it knocked his teeth together; she nearly took them both down, staggering and stammering apologizes at him while all he could think about was the way her breast were pressed tight against his chest, and the damp feel of her sweat soaked cotton tank top under his palms…Hell.

Being that near her sets his teeth on edge even more now than it normally would because he can't get _away_ from her between the two of them. He might have found such a situation intriguing once upon a time; but no longer. Now the pressing reality and strain of her constant presence is pulling him apart at the seams; fraying what's left of centuries of carefully constructed control.

Now when he gets back to his room after his eight mile morning run…which the last few days has turned into more like twelve and fifteen, and all he wants to do is drowned his frazzled nerves in a cold shower and take ten minutes to pull himself mentally back together before he truly loses all composure the next time he sees her…he has to instead deal with _HER._

She's _always_ there.

Sitting on his bed, arms folded over her chest staring at him with those piercing blue eyes boring into his soul. Following him from room to room, dogging his every footstep. Shifting after him to watch him while he tries desperately to work off some of the overflowing sexual frustrations her presence is causing, only winding him tighter and tighter as he punches and kicks and slams his fists into anything and everything he can reach in the gym.

Except that she's gone.

He tamps down on the instant flood of panic that sweeps through him prickling the skin along his spine; drawing the press of magic to his senses ready to bloom into any defensive or offensive spell he might need. He closes his eyes, draws in a slow steadying breath pausing before letting it out.

No big deal.

It doesn't mean that something went wrong with her being here and that she's been pulled away by some evil unseen force.

Mostly likely she just gave up. Went home finally.

He'll just take a shower and then give himself that memory charm and he'll forget all about her visit and the last few days. The timeline will remain intact and he won't risk second guessing the moment that's coming when he'll have to forfeit his freedom to save her life: Even though it's not necessary; not hardly.

Even if he knew he was going to his death he couldn't change a thing; not if it meant sparing her life. It's not just his oath; whatever she might think. Maybe that's how it started out; but it's so much more than that now.

Nothing she could ever say, or do could change that.

He grabs a clean change of clothes from the basket by the dresser he barely bothers with because what's the point? They're just going to get filthy and need to be washed again the second he wears them. Five minutes spent folding laundry and putting it away is five minutes he could spend meditating , or working on a new defensive spell or…he pauses. Turns toward the bathroom door scowl etching itself even deeper into his face.

And of course, that's just perfect, because of course she didn't give up, when did the she Ever Give Up? Never. It was one of the reasons he l…no.

"Cassie." He stands outside the closed door listening intently; but all he can hear is water running now. And it's definitely his water running. "Bloody Hell you think you're doing in there?!"

There's a definite reply from the other side of the door; but he can't make it out. He stands there for a moment sweaty forehead pressed to the wood frame fuming over the whole situation, drowning in his frustrations, before storming through the door.

"I've had Enou—"

"Shut the door you'll let out all the steam."

He just stands there staring at her mouth hanging open mid-word.

"Pritkin? Are you alright?"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

He spins his back to her, slamming the door even though he's still firmly on the wrong side of it for her to be dressed like that…or not dressed at all. He curses closes both hands white knuckled over the door handle, face pressed to the wood eyes pinched shut trying to forget the image burned against his eyelids for all eternity.

_Cripes._

She's trying to get them Both killed. He's pretty damn sure he didn't end up in Hell taking her against his shower wall…and Fuck. It's too late now the images is there and he can't get it out and…

"Bollocks woman you are completely out of your Bloody-Fucking-Mind!?"

"Don't you get all British with me Pritkin! I just want an answer, that's it! You're the one being difficult!" The shower door clicks shut behind him and he groans, raises his hands to the either side of the door jamb; leans forward against his arms breathing in the steam in long slow exaggerated pulls fighting for control of his other half.

And he should be bolting out of the damn bathroom; out of his room, out of the Hotel even; he needs to go run ten more blocks; maybe twenty when he hears water splashing behind his back and his incubus stirs and supplies him with the perfect images to go along with those sounds and…_Fuck._

"It's not that simple…" It's out before he's processed what he's saying.

The water shuts off behind his back, the shower door opens and he hears the rustling of a towel, the soft pad of bare feet on his tile floor moving closer. When he opens his eyes and turns his head she's right there, arms crossed over the twist keeping her towel in place, wet curls plastered to her pale still too taut skin; at least he's gotten her to eat the last few days… His Cassie upstairs was already too thin now; skipping meals was the last thing she needed.

Not _his_ Cassie…oh Hell…whatever.

"I can handle not simple, when is anything ever simple for me. Just tell me what to do."

"Why can't you just drop it?"

She stares at him with those unwavering sky blue eyes until he drops his head back to his forearm with a heavy sigh.

"Fine. I'll tell you, just get out and let me take a shower first."

"Okay."

She doesn't move.

"I thought you were going?"

She stares at him, bites her lip. "Uh… Pritkin, you're kind of blocking the door."

_Oh Right._

He backs away from the door turning back towards the shower so he can't see her anymore; can't picture himself hooking one finger behind that silly twist between the valley of her perfect breasts keeping her covered and giving it a pull; watching it drop to the floor revealing all that perfect Cassie skin for him to taste…

"Don't use up all the hot water, I wasn't done yet."

He scowls at the faucet setting the water as cold as physically possible while the door clicks shut between them again.

"That definitely will not be a problem."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

I reach the wall and turn back, bouncing on the balls of my feet going the other direction listening to the water run on the other side of the door growing more impatient by the second.

It feels like he's stalling. Which normally I'd say was ludicrous; Pritkin doesn't stall; not normally…but he's been avoiding this conversation for days. I'm running out of time.

Any day now that entity is going to go for me in the bathtub upstairs and then I won't be able to stay…not with how quickly things will move for Pritkin and me after that; I can't risk distracting him; altering the course of events that will take place… and it will be too late to find the solution then and…

I snarl in frustration, curse and glare at the closed bathroom door ready to storm back in there naked or not.

How long does it take him to shower for crying out loud?!

It's not like he has that much hair to wash and…_oh_.

My cheeks heat furiously as it suddenly occurs to me. I pace faster trying _not_ to picture what _else_ might be taking Pritkin so long in there… _yikes._

It's been four days.

Four days of shadowing his every possible move; dogging his every step. I'd even slept here—not on the bed of course; Pritkin had an absolute conniption over that thought the first night and I didn't say so but I didn't think it was a fabulous idea either…Not because I didn't want to be in the same bed as Pritkin. _God. Just the_ _opposite. _

I wasn't positive I wouldn't molest him in my sleep.

Four days of barely keeping my hands off him. Smelling his unique scent every time I entered the room. Feeling him watching me whether glaring or not every time I move. I pluck my fingertips over the borrowed material of Pritkin's shirt dip my chin and press my nose to the soft piled cotton breathing him in, my eyes drifting shut.

He'd tried avoiding me as much as possible when he realized I wasn't going to leave; but he could only spend so much time with the _Me_ upstairs before I'd throw him out, or the vampires would…

And yes, I'm well aware that sentence in anyone else's life would probably earn them a strait jacket, or at the very least medication. But no for me it makes _perfect _sense because that's my life.

We went screaming past sanity a long time ago; I'm not even sure I could tell you what it looked like.

I stop and lean against the wall again. Huff my air out between pursed lips blowing still damp curls out of my face in frustration when the water finally cuts off on the other side of the wall. I hold my breath waiting, staring at the door; suddenly fighting a nervous clutch of butterflies in my stomach.

The door finally opens and steam rolls out all around the frame. Pritkin's hair is still wet, small beads of water cling to his shoulders…and his chest and… I jerk my eyes to the floor breathing too hard to be healthy.

_Okay. _ So he's not the only one who may have needed a long shower to unwind so to speak after the last few days. Hell I'd been 'unwinding' the second he went off to torture the other me in the gym ever morning. My eyes subconsciously drift to the bed and I bite my lip drop my eyes blushing furiously once more hoping he didn't notice.

I just meant to take a quick nap that first morning; sleeping on the floor was far from ideal; though I could no longer use that as an excuse after the second night seeing as Pritkin despite his grumbling about my staying had made up a cot he dragged from God only knows where into a corner up for me. But I didn't let that stop me… and oh god, I'm definitely blushing now. I stare hard at the carpet, wiggle my bare toes in the short fringe trying not to think about the rush of heat that hit me the second my head hit the pillow. I'd laid there with my eyes closed, completely intending to just get a little sleep and all I could smell was _him. _

I look up and Pritkin is watching me, eyes narrowed slightly_. Shit, maybe he knows what I did…_maybe he could smell me in his sheets…and_ Oh God, _that thought did not just send a rush of molten heat zipping straight down my spine to flutter and tingle in my core…

"You want me to tell you how to bargain for my freedom from Hell." It's not a question.

I stare at him draw a tight breath nodding, not trusting my voice right now. I've only rarely seen him wear the expression he does right now, and those times have been…dire.

"There is a slim chance that they might release me to an appropriate Warden: Someone capable of handling a demon on probation; so to speak. That's would be your only course of action to go to the Council and formally request an hearing…But in order to even be seen as an audience in by the Council—"

"Hell has a Council too?"

Pritkin glares at me for interrupting him. "Do you want me to tell you or not?" His tone is clipped.

"Yes, please."

"Yes there is a Council; just like with Fairie and the Circle and your Vampires—"

"They're not _my_ vampires."

He doesn't quite glare that time, simply presses on ignoring my outburst.

"As I was saying, in order to even be seen by the Council you would need to be a representative of one of the Royal families that govern in Hell; or a member of one of them."

I stare at him, not liking the way that sounds. "Which means _what_…exactly?"

He stares at me silently, his brilliant green eyes unreadable for a long nerve wracking moment before dropping them to the carpet next to his bare feet.

I try to ignore the fact that he's only wearing jeans, that there's still beads of water on his skin; tiny water droplets I could lick off with my tongue…

"It would mean that Rosier would have to appoint you as a Family Representative; similar to Mircea making you his second that one time." His eyes dart to mine for a moment. _Which since he hates me isn't very likely. _ I keep staring at him, there's something else; something he's hesitating on…

"or…?"

He stares at me so hard I start to wonder if I've read him wrong, if that was the only option, and if it is then we're both doomed because Rosier would never do that; especially knowing that I meant to take his son back…

But then Pritkin sighs, drops his head back so hard I can hear his skull thump against the wall behind him while he utters a few words that must be curses even though I don't recognize the language; not even slightly.

"Or you'd have to be _my wife_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

I stare at him certain that I must have heard wrong, that he's joking. But no he's just staring at me, jaw clenched tight eyes boring into mine while I struggle to process that… "_Your Wife_?" I can't have heard that right...

He nods his head slowly just once expression carefully blank.

All the air leaves my lungs in a nervous rush. My shaking fingers are suddenly dragging back through damp curls that are probably sticking up every which way after I jumped out of the shower without even bothering to run a comb through them when he started talking to me earlier about a solution and I never expected it to be something like this, but okay…I can deal with this…we just have to…._oh my god_.

"Well… we uh, we _are_ in Vegas."

His jaw clenches tighter still staring at me making me bite my lip, my breath catch nervously because he's not saying anything…and God Damnit _he's_ the one that brought it up; I'm just trying to save his life!

"Look it won't be that bad just, someplace without Elvis please, after that whole zombie thing downstairs in the bar I just can't look at him the same way again…"

-and I'm babbling but that's okay because I'm _really_ nervous and Pritkin _still _hasn't said a God Damn word. He's just staring at me with that look and _oh god_ if he was joking about that just to tease me or get a reaction out of me I'm going to just die of embarrassment. My cheeks flush furiously, I can practically feel the heat coming off my skin. I drop my eyes to the floor.

"Pritkin… say something,"

"It's not _that _kind of Marriage ceremony." His voice is tight, strained. I risk a glance up at him but he's looking at the wall now, has stuffed his hands into his front pockets like he's nervous and Pritkin _can't_ be nervous. Pritkin is never nervous, the very notion is just ridiculous. Nothing makes Pritkin uncomfortable except…._oh_.

"It involves Sex doesn't it?" Cause that's the only reason for his eyes to dart to mine like that, and _Dear God_ it _must_ be sex, because his eyes have gone strangely bright, and his iris is just a little too large and he's breathing just a little too fast and whatever it is; whatever this ceremony would entail part of him likes the idea; _really, Really_ likes it… and that makes me fidget nervously against the wall.

I push away from its firm surface to pace once more, my borrowed Henley sweatshirt billowing around my hips as I all but stomp up and down the short length of the room looking anywhere but at him for a few moments. Nerves making my stomach twist into tight knots, give a little flip while I bite my lip.

And that's a whole new can of worms because thanks to Rosier and the rules of Pritkin's banishment to Earth he _can't_ have sex; just exchanging power with me to save my life instead of his own is gonna get his ask yanked back to Hell in the first place! Violating his parole early will hardly help if he's not around to save my life when I need it and if that's not a time paradox then I don't know what is!

I fling my hands up in frustration grasping at straws while he stares me down.

"Okay, Okay…" I scrub my fingers through damp curls face scrunched while I wrack my brain for a solution to this mess. "um, so… okay; no big deal. I go back in time and find you before Rosier did his whole whammy thing—"

"Cassie! Do you even _Hear_ yourself right now?" I wince. "First of all, you cannot actually be considering this! And second there is no way that is going to work! You'd have to be able to _find me_ in the Past to begin with…"

"I've done that before." I remind him pointing my finger at him then biting my lip at the look he's leveled at me.

He glares, jaw clenched tight; no doubt thinking about the time I showed up in his past and stole the Codex from him; or rather the instructions to find the map to find the Codex… long story; that ended with a much younger, more gullible Pritkin stranded naked in the woods in the middle of a really cold night... I even stole his boots...so um, yeah...

His nostrils flare and his eyes narrow to thin emerald slits. "And as I recall that ended _so_ well…" He growls.

I point my finger at him again my own eyes narrowing as he advances toward me and I back away towards the far wall. "Hey! I ended up naked too don't look at me like that!"

A single brow cocks towards his still damp and dripping hairline. "You weren't naked, it was merely a revealing spell…"

"That left my dress see through!"

And maybe that wasn't the best argument to make about that night, or the best time to bring it up; especially when Pritkin's mouth twists into a wicked line; and his eyes darken and now my breath is catching in my throat while I try to swallow and _What the Hell!_ We're supposed to be figuring this out together not discussing all the times he's made my pulse race and my cheeks heat and liquid pool in hot clenching waves…and _oh god_.

My back hits the wall and I raise a shaky hand between us palm up like I'm going to push him away except I don't. My breath catches in my throat when his bare wet chest presses to mine my useless hand resting just over his heart the heat of his skin making my nipples instantly peak; and it's totally visible through this shirt I just know it is…

My stomach gives a nervous flip and heat races along my veins, gathers low in my belly right where it always does whenever he's near me like this. I lick my lips staring up at him breathing way too fast.

"Uh, can we please focus on the current problem we have?"

Pritkin leans into me, nose almost touching mine. I swallow so loud I'm sure he can hear it.

"Yes, Let's discuss that plan: because if you think you can just pop somewhere into the past and perform a _Demon Marriage Ceremony_ without my knowledge, because it would be pretty memorable—" his eyes rake down my body even from the short distance apart and if my nipples weren't tight before _Dear God_ they are now; almost painfully so. I bite my lip to stop the groan trying to tear out of my throat.

"…And that I would let a complete stranger preform a binding with me; something that even back then with my lack of knowledge about all things Demon I knew to be permanent; you've lost your mind… Not to mention how badly that would cock up the entire timeline, how many paradoxes that could create. How do you think I would react hmm? That first day we meet; if I recognized _you_ as the gorgeous, sexy blonde who popped out of the sky a hundred years before that meeting; not having aged a day mind you; after you seduced me into a non-retractable life-bond contract and then just popped away again?"

"You didn't remember the codex incident at the time…and I'm not seducing anybody!"

Pritkin glares down at me lips inches from mine and I shouldn't be thinking about that; shouldn't be staring at his mouth remembering how it tastes and feeling heat pour through my insides, flood me with indescribable want…

"_Cassie_."

"Um…Not well?"

Pritkin hums in assent eyebrow rising farther. "Bingo. Furthermore, you can't just preform this ceremony and then annul it a week later Cassie. Demon Marriages are rare because they are for _life_; and when you're a demon, or even half of one that could be a _very_ long time.

There's no such thing as Divorce in Hell, Ironic isn't it? Marriage between demons is all about sharing _power_, sharing _titles_; it's a _permanent_ alliance Cassie. It doesn't happen often because Demon's are opportunistic bastards at heart. Most of them choose to spend a few years or decades or Hell even Millennia with one another until something better; more powerful comes along and then their truce is over. Demon Marriage only ends if _one_ party _kills_ the other…" he stares down at me.

"But I'm not a demon…"

"No, you're not." I can't read his expression, can't understand it…

"So you wouldn't be stuck with me that long…" Especially at the rate people and things were always trying to kill me…

I squeak in surprise, all the air rushing out of me in shock when Pritkin is suddenly pressed flush against me, chest to chest; pinning me to the wall. I gasp; grip his forearms staring up at him eyes wide because it feels like were dangerously close to violating his parole and _oh god_…

"Pritkin…"

"Do you think that's the problem?" His eyes are wilder then I've ever seen them, his expression strangely desperate for the first time since I told him he was going to Hell and I couldn't figure out how to stop it…

"This is Permanent Cassie! It has consequences you cannot even begin to imagine; it would wipe out Mircea's mark on you; erase it completely. He would never be able to touch you; not without me _knowing _the second it happened; I would _feel_ the betrayal, know it instantly. I would feel everything you do; I would know where you are, what you're doing always. You would never get away from me; there would be no escaping _this._"

I can't look away from him, from those gorgeous spinning green eyes and the stupid damp almost-spikes in his hair and I can't breathe, can't stop my fingers from tracing down his jaw feeling his five-o'clock shadow drag at my sensitive fingertips while I shiver and swallow trying to remember how to form words because he's waiting and, and….

"Would that be such a bad thing…" it's barely a whisper against his lips and then his mouth is crashing into mine and he's hiking my up the wall pressing against me pinning me with his thigh between my legs rubbing his jeans against the junction of my sex and _ohmygod._

I have to remember how to breathe around his kiss; my lungs are burning and my fingers are dragging through his too short hair and his tongue tangles with mine and our breath mingles and he tastes like heat, and want and desire and he smells like silk sheets and rough and impossibly sensual sex… and I shudder and gasp into his mouth cling to him while my breasts ache and my womb clenches and my spine arches off the wall pressing the explosive bundle of nerves just above my folds to his thigh with the perfect pressure; and just the right friction and I'm so close and …

I stagger to the floor falling all the way to my knees gasping and trembling staring up at him wide eyed standing a few feet away from me.

"The Fuck Pritkin?!"

He drags his fingers through his hair, eyes wild pacing back and forth. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

He leans his back against the wall, breathing hard trying to bring himself back under control, and I'm only just starting to realize how dangerous that was…just how close we just came to getting us both killed. Or well; get the me upstairs killed in the near future and Pritkin yanked away and… and then I couldn't be here in the first place because I wouldn't be here to go back in time and…

My head hurts.

I press my palms to my eyes hard enough to see little flashes of red and white light against the darkness dragging in slow deep breaths.

"So…" I drag my fingers through my hopelessly mused curls; do my best to pull them out of my face at least. "If I can't go back in time…"

"You are not seriously considering this…"

I stare at him square my shoulders and narrow my eyes even still sitting on the floor. "It doesn't sound so bad to me, and at least I'm getting to actually discuss the option with you, Mircea didn't ask, he just did it! I never even got a choice."

Pritkin stares down at me, his eyes too dilated, too bright; it's both gorgeous and disconcerting at the same time with his incubus side so close to the surface.

"You would seriously consider such an action..."

"Yes." I cut him off, stare back at him unblinking until my eyes start to burn. _In a heartbeat, how could I not after everything we'd been through; and everything he's done for me? I owe him so much…and it's more then that I realize. _"I want to do this...we just need to figure out how, and when…er," I stare up at him suddenly nervous again, bite my lip. "…unless you don't want to be married to me…" my stomach knots with anxiety.

Pritkin curses, eyes darting away from mine. When they slide back to me a moment later his iris is no longer too wide; the swirling green is back once more while he frowns down at me expression serious and carefully guarded.

"I will need you to tell me exactly what happened that night; the night I was pulled away. If there is any opportunity to alter events it will be in that moment."

"Is that a Yes?!" I gape at him in complete astonishment. I can't believe it; this might actually work! I stare at him biting my lip while he leans against the wall, hands shoved deep in his jean pockets eyebrows drawn into a serious line; but his lips twist into an almost grin…

"Miss Palmer this might be the most bizarre conversation we've had to date…but the answer is yes; I can't think of anyone else I'd want to bind myself to. God knows with the way you attract danger it might not last a very long time." He's kneels down in front of me on the short pile carpet, eyes almost level with mine lips twitching upwards in a sly grin while I stare at him, my lips parting breathing a mess of nerves and unsteady racing pulse with him so close…with the dark look he shoots me and his next words making my insides clench and my stomach flip.

"But it will definitely be a wild ride."

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Love it? Hate it? Worth continuing?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

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"You're certain it was five seconds from the time they pulled me away, to the time I disappeared?"

I groan in frustration scrub at my tired eyes. "Yes, It was roughly five seconds…."

"Roughly isn't good enough, I need to know _exactly_…"

Ugh! "It was five seconds! Five Seconds okay! I don't understand what the big deal is with the exact number of seconds!"

Pritkin glares at me tone clipped when he speaks again, lilting like someone explaining something elementary to a child. "Because the spell I'm working on will have to help expand your ability to stop time; boost it so that we have enough time to complete the ritual because if we don't then we won't get another shot!"

_Oh._ Okay and yeah I hadn't thought about it that way. I drop my hand and meet his glare. "It was five seconds, or 5.478ths of a second if you want to get all Pythia-ish…"

Pritkin nods curtly. "No, that's enough information, Thank You."

"You're welcome." I intone still feeling oddly snappish.

His eyes dart to mine again for a split second narrowing at my tone but he turns back to the desk without comment.

"So…when are we going to discuss what exactly is in this… ceremony…" my eyes dart away to everything in the room but Pritkin, cheeks flushing.

He clears his throat, also pointedly not looking at me when my eyes dart back to his face. "Not while I'm working on this spell, I need to concentrate. I have to get this right."

"Is there a risk of you know ka-boom if it's not right?" I've dealt with Pritkin's potions and spells before.

Volatile is an Understatement.

"No, there is a risk of an eternity in Hell." Pritkin's lips twist in derision.

Now who's being snappish?

I lean against the wall feeling useless, but what else is new? "Do you need any help?" Pritkin cuts his eyes to me, lips twisted in mock amusement.

I throw my hands up and stomp away from him. "Yeah, okay whatever!" Never mind me, I'm just the useless Pythia.

"Why don't you get some rest, you tossed and turned all night; you've got to be exhausted." He looks away from me quickly; cheeks spotting with just a hint of color; maybe because he just admitted to being aware of just how little I slept last night…

_Oh great, Sure._ Let me just go lie down and try not to obsess over the fact that at some point after Pritkin finishes this spell I'm going to be shifting into the near past (for me) near future (for him) shifting him away to, _somewhere_—I have no idea where yet; and completing some kind of ceremony—the details of which I have _no idea_; and oh yeah there will be hot passionate possibly up against the wall Pritkin _Sex_ and afterwards I'll be Pritkin's Demon Wife.

_Yeah. Let me just go ignore all that and take a nap. Right. _I might be the queen of not-dealing and over-compartmentalizing but ignoring _This _was even beyond my abilities.

I huff stomping in a complete circuit of the room. Pritkin turns over his shoulder to glare at me when I start a second round.

"Cassie, sit down or lay down; just stop for five minutes every time you move past me I can smell your shampoo and it's destroying my concentration."

I pause staring at his back. Because Pritkin doesn't admit to things like that; I don't think of his abilities in those terms usually, which is ridiculous I guess. I wouldn't think about the fact that Marco can probably smell my shampoo while it's still in the bottle with the cap on—halfway across the suite. Marco wouldn't admit to it distracting him either. Probably because as far as I could tell the only things that distracted Marco came in take-out containers swimming with grease. He'd clearly told me on more than one occasion I wasn't his type; and thank god for that; I had enough problems to deal with as it was. Marco didn't need to be one of them. He was supposed to solve problems as a bodyguard—my chief bodyguard on the Vampire side of things at least; too bad lately he seemed to take me more as entertainment then a charge to be coddled.

Not that I exactly wanted to be coddled; I just wanted to be taken serious when I said something; and Marco seemed more inclined to pat me on the head like a cute three year old and then do the opposite.

I blink still staring at Pritkin's back hunched over the desk.

"You can smell my shampoo?"

He snorts. "I can smell a lot of things."

I start at that cheeks flushing pink, "The Hell is that supposed to mean?!"

He doesn't turn around hands still moving over whatever the hell it is he's working on atop the desk judging by the way the muscles under his t-shirt bunch and ripple. I swallow.

"That if you want to lie in my bed you don't have to wait till I leave in the morning to go run, just…" He waves his hand at the corner of the room where his bed sits the sheets and comforter a rumpled chaotic mess he rarely makes, at least since I've been here.

Because that wouldn't be manly apparently.

Like picking up his socks. I toe a pair next to my foot shoving them toward the wall and the other piled laundry there waiting to be washed… And also because the maid service quit coming in after they almost got blown up the second time.

I sputter for a moment flushing harder he glances back over his shoulder at me. "I know the cot isn't what you're used to what with the 1000 thread count sheets and the pillow top mattress." His voice is apologetic and filled with disdain at the same time as only Pritkin can manage to sound.

And okay, it wasn't that comfortable; but that wasn't the reason I couldn't sleep. And I doubt laying in Pritkin's bed is going to help with that situation…then again. Whatever. I'm tired of pacing anyway. I move across the room while he watches me over his shoulder still slightly twisted in his chair, one hand braced against the desk's edge.

I pull the covers up because the bed is so haphazard with the way he sleeps I hardly need to turn them down anymore then they are and I sit down on the mattress. Pritkin's hands tighten over the edge of the desk, his eyes still watching me over his shoulder maybe making sure I'm actually laying down; I didn't realize I was driving him crazy, maybe I'll pace the next time I want something done...

I tuck too short strands of strawberry blonde behind my ears nervous and self-conscious under his gaze which is ridiculous when being half-naked or _completely_ naked sometimes since disasters always seemed to strike me when I was the least clothed—in front of an entire suite full of first level master vampires barely registers on my weird radar anymore.

But because it's Pritkin watching me slip between his sheets it doesn't matter that I'm fully clothed. I could be wearing a damn parka and I'd still feel naked, just his gaze makes my skin burn.

I lay back yanking the comforter up over my shoulder tucking my head down like I'm going to sleep; but mostly so I can't see him watching me...because his gaze is starting to affect me in other places…

Of course now I can smell his soap on the sheets. Breathe in his shampoo on the pillow; the unique scent that fills the air when he's near me; ozone and magic and the heady rush of adrenaline I associate with those scents and sex. Because Pritkin has always; and will always make my insides heat and liquid pool and my nipples tighten and my muscles clench wanting him…and _oh God._

It's not shampoo I'm worried about him smelling now… Something bangs loudly across the room obviously falling against the desktop and Pritkin curses sharply.

"You're right that's _Not_ helping." And I'm not sure I've ever heard him use _that_ tone exactly; or at least not when he's half a room away instead of pressed flush against me with his breath in my ear and my pulse pounding wildly out of control under my skin…

"What do you want me to do?" I keep my face under the covers, while Pritkin groans sounding strained from off to my right. I swallow and okay maybe I shouldn't phrase it _quite_ like that I realize cheeks flushing harder even though he can't see me.

"I'm going to go take a walk." Pritkin suddenly announces at the same time his chair scrapes back from the desk across the room.

I frown sitting up watching him grab his constant companion of a leather duster to cover the arsenal of weapon's he never even eats breakfast without because he's a War-Mage and it's some kind of unwritten code that even Danishes can turn deadly.

"I thought you needed to work on—"

"I'll be gone twenty minutes." Pritkin cuts me off, eyes too bright, cheeks flushed my mouth still hanging open cut off mid-sentence. My teeth click shut audibly staring at him bewildered by his abrupt departure still scrambling to understand that tone.

I shake my head as he shrugs his shoulders into his coat. "I don't understand…"

He's across the room leaning over me, hands pressed on either side of my hips against the sheets in the blink of an eye; and if I didn't know better I'd think he'd just use vampire speed…and _shit_. I swallow staring up at those brilliant green eyes that this close are actually a multifaceted swirl of several different colors all blending together to appear solid green at any distance.

"You have twenty minutes, use it wisely."

Twenty minutes alone in Pritkin's room with his scent…in his bed…OhMyGod, he _knows._

My mouth drops open while I sputter and my stomach summersaults because he is _not _suggesting I do what I _think_ he's suggesting. Because if that were the case I might just die…

Pritkin's quick dark look over his shoulder already halfway across the room again and teasing; "If you're not done when I get back I might not be able to keep my hands to myself." Effectively wipes away any lingering doubt and has my mouth gaping while my brain scrambles for some kind of response even as my skin is flushing bright red all the way to my hairline and I can't argue with him or scream in outrage even if I was so inclined because he's already out the door that bastard smirk twisting his lips right before it clicks shut between us.

I press a pillow to my face screaming in frustration and flop back against the sheets pillow still covering my face breathing him in from the slightly scratchy cotton around me.

Twenty minutes will never be enough…


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes:  **Short chapter so apologies but I needed to set up the next few chapters and show that we're going to be overlapping the same time span as HtM

If you thought Pritkin had enough to deal with in that book imagine juggling TWO cassie's the whole time that book was going down...dear god this is going to be fun! XD

Many thanks to the readers and reviewers of this fan base, you guys are awesome! I know there's not a lot of Cassie/Pritkin stuff out there, (no where near enough!) I hope you continue to enjoy this story! :)

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**Chapter Nine**

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It's been nearly two weeks and I knew we were cutting it close now, didn't say anything because he swore it would be done any day now, and I try not to rush magic that my life and sanity depend on as a principle rule but that's going to be a moot point very shortly because I just made my way out of the bathroom and _there it is_.

I swallow, or I try to…it comes out a croaking sort of strangled sound in my throat.

Pritkin raises his brow at me, fingers still clasped over the handles of the basket he just set by the door.

"Cassie?"

A basket I recognize all too clearly.

"Cassie?"

_It's starting…_

By 4 o'clock this afternoon the other me will be stomping into my suite upstairs exhausted and half frozen from running through the snow and being thrown off the cliff by my bodyguard...

And then the entity will try to drown me in the bath tub.

"Cassie!?"

Pritkin's fingers are locked around my upper arms squeezing gently and I suddenly realize my shoulder blades are pressed against the wall and I'm hyperventilating. I tear my gaze from the basket signaling the end of my time here, the beginning of the last week the other me will get with him…and meet bright green eyes boring into mine from inches away laced with concern.

When he's this close I can see the many spokes of color woven together to create his green hue. His fingers tighten painfully against my skin voice tight, clipped when he says my name again.

"I take it you don't like tofu wraps?"

And I can't breathe…Pritkin doesn't move; stands stone still against me when I press my body against him, wrap my arms tight around his waist pressing my cheek to his chest.

"Cassie? What is it?" He tenses against me. "Is it today?" I shake my head against his chest press my fingertips to the warm skin over his spine; I can feel the heat of him even through the cotton of his shirt…He's always just a hint too warm to be completely human…

"No…but…I have to go." I press my forehead to his chest feel his heartbeat under my palm.

"What happens today Cassie?"

I'm shaking, wrapping my arm around his waist dragging myself closer pressing my face impossibly tight against his skin.

"Cassie…"

I have to say something, or he's going to start to panic, the way that Pritkin panics; which is to say going very cross and turning all surly barking orders and demanding explanations because he's the king of control.

"It's okay, I just…I thought we'd have more time." I almost laugh against his chest, it doesn't come out right while his hands tighten against my arms. I'm supposed to be in charge of time itself, and yet it's always somehow at least around Pritkin slipping away from me.

"You will not be here when I return." It's not a question. I don't look at him. "The spell isn't finished."

"We don't need it just yet; but soon…very soon." _Too soon_, if I can't pull this off I'm going to lose him all over again and I don't even know how to process that; it's just not possible.

"You better go, I'm already going to make you late."

He stares down at me but for the first time in days I can't meet his eyes. I pull away and it's a physical ache deep in my chest all over again. I curl my shoulders with it; feel it throb and claw at my insides.

"Where will you go?" He's almost whispering, eyes taking in everything about my posture; my expression. I try to shake it off, which is ridiculous; the last person on this earth I could fool would be Pritkin. He reads me like a book, knowing my thoughts even when I'm not sure what page I'm supposed to even be on.

"Might as well check in," I shrug still not meeting his eyes. I haven't seen my own time in nearly two weeks.

I don't wait for his response before I shift.


End file.
